A birth centre is a unit offering care to healthy women with straightforward pregnancies where midwives take primary professional responsibility for care. They can be located away from the hospital’s obstetric unit (standalone) or alongside the obstetric unit. Both our birth centres are standalone.

NICE revised guideline (2014) recommended for women having their first or subsequent babies who are healthy and experiencing a straightforward pregnancy, giving birth in a birth centre is a safe choice both for them and their baby.

At a birth centre the rate of intervention is lower and the outcome for baby is no different than at an obstetric unit (delivery suite). Women’s experiences of care have been shown to be more positive when they choose to birth and are cared for at a birth centre.

Our data and statistics reflect these findings. Maidstone and Crowborough birth centres have supported over 3000 births since they have been open. Of the women starting their birthing process at one of our birth centres 89% of them have gone on to have an uncomplicated birth.

We encourage all women and their partners to attend a tour of the birth centre of their choice. This can be arranged with your midwife or by calling the birth centre.

We offer a birth place assessment at around 34 weeks of pregnancy. If you are already receiving antenatal care with us, this can be booked through your midwife. If you are having your antenatal care with another trust, but just wish to birth at one of our birth centres, please complete a self referral form when you are around 30 weeks pregnant, and choose the option for birth centre referral.

The birth place assessment allows time for the midwife to assess your pregnancy and make sure you are suitable to birth with them. You can plan your birth and you will have the opportunity to ask questions.

More information on birth centres can be found on the NHS.uk website.

Both our birth centres offer midwifery-led care with the support of maternity support workers. They are comfortable and furnished more like a home, to allow women to spend time with their families.

Active birth is encouraged with birthing balls, bean bags and birthing stools. There is a kitchen-diner for easy access to drinks and snacks and plenty of room for women to move about. The postnatal rooms have double beds for partners to stay.

The birth centres also offer:

• Pool rooms and postnatal rooms
• Antenatal and birthing sessions
• Breast feeding support and drop-in sessions
• Newborn Infant Physical Examination (NIPE) – Midwives are trained to complete this examination for your baby before you go home

There are many options available for pain management in labour including TENS machines, water births and complementary therapies. The birth centres also offer:

• Hypnobirthing
• Pools for waterbirths
• Aromatherapy and acupuncture
• Natural methods to support your birthing for example sterile water for injections
• Pethidine can be used for pain relief
• Epidurals are not available at birth centres. This would require a transfer to the hospital delivery suite.

Visit our pain relief page for more information.

Due to ongoing staffing shortages we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily pause births at Crowborough Birthing Centre from 2 October until May 2026. Community antenatal and postnatal services, including parent education classes and the Infant Feeding Café, will continue at the centre as normal. There will be no inpatient facility at Crowborough Birthing Centre.

While we know this will be disappointing news for the people who are affected, our priority is to provide safe, high-quality and reliable maternity care for families and we are working with partners across Kent and Sussex to look at how we deliver a long-term, sustainable service.

We remain committed to ensuring women and birthing people have choice and our services at Tunbridge Wells Hospital and Maidstone Birth Centre, both of which offer high-quality midwifery-led care with access to birthing pools, reflect our dedication to personalised care which supports each person’s preferences. Home births may also be option following a home birth assessment.

Neighbouring facilities at other trusts are also available, including the Princess Royal Hospital at Haywards Heath and the Eastbourne Midwifery Unit at Eastbourne District General Hospital.

It is on the borders of East Sussex and Kent and has been part of the Trust since 2016. It is part of the Crowborough War Memorial Hospital and has been located in the hospital for 20 years providing midwifery-led care. The birthing rooms at Crowborough have recently undergone a full makeover including a new pool.

The Birth Centre team can be contacted on  01892 654080/664643.

Maidstone Birth centre is in the grounds of the Maidstone Hospital in Hermitage Lane, Barming. It is a purpose-built unit which opened in 2011. The birth centre is modern and homely, offering women a calming birthing environment.

Tours of the birth centre run Monday – Friday at 7pm and Saturday – Sunday at 12.30pm. If you would like to book a tour please contact 01622 220161.

The Birth Centre team can be contacted on 01622 220161

There are many ways you can achieve a positive birth experience regardless of how your baby is born. We encourage all mothers-to-be to read about our birth optimising practices.

Visit our birth optimising page for more information.